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This month’s exhibition in the Art & Design Library is by Julie Galante and is entitled A Woman’s Place: an exploration of home and belonging.

Julie is a painter and mixed-media artist based in Stockbridge, Edinburgh. Her artwork focuses on people and places real and imagined. As someone who has lived in several different countries, she is particularly intrigued by the ways in which one’s location can affect a person’s inner and outer life.

The exhibition works started out as a study of the relationships between people and places: how one’s location and proximity to other people affects one’s mental state and well-being. The themes and subjects have grown and developed with the events of the past year. Julie explained to where the inspiration for her work had come from –

“The power of groups of women became evident to me in the women’s marches taking place all over the world, as well as in the close-knit group of female friends who supported me through my husband’s leukemia diagnosis and treatment. His death in April of this year left me reeling, person-less and place-less. Much of the artwork I have created since then is an exploration of my new role of young widow. And finally, many of the pieces in this exhibition celebrate Edinburgh, the city in which I know I belong. There is very little certainty in my life right now, but one thing I know for sure is that this city is my home”.

May’s exhibition in the Art and Design Library is a something a little bit different. This month we are showcasing the work of Danish artist Mette Fruergaard-Jensen who creates boxes in metal, wood and resin.

Mette originally trained as a potter, running her own pottery workshop for 25 years. A move to Scotland in 2000 however saw her embrace a new medium and she began to make boxes –

‘In my studio in Coburg House in Leith, Edinburgh I make lidded boxes in wood, metal and resin. My boxes are sculptural. They are all functional, although they are not made for any specific use. I love the silent language of form and materials. Here for this exhibition in the Art and Design Library I am also showing images of how I work and what materials I use. I am especially happy to show my work in the Art and Design Library, as I have spent a great time there looking in books.’

June’s exhibition in the Art Library is a beautiful collection of pastel paintings by Bill Keogh.

Bill tells us about his work:

Since retiring in 2010 from an academic career I have been painting in a variety of mediums and exhibited at the 3 Harbours Festival and the MacMillan Art Exhibition, Edinburgh. A watercolour painting, ‘RISING’, was selected for the ‘Artists’ Impressions’ 2012 calendar for the Scottish Parliament and I have had three solo exhibitions in Edinburgh.

I am largely self taught but have pursued my interests and development by studying on courses with established artists such as David Forster. My main areas of interest are landscapes and seascapes and my purpose is to paint scenes that are recognisable and capture the atmosphere that I experience during preparation and painting. A key feature of landscape painting is the challenge of capturing light and shade in sunny or even inclement weather and my objective is to make the viewer want to be there – even on the dull, windy day! In this collection of pastel paintings, I have selected scenes that illustrate just a few of the endless ways of representing changing light and colour in nature.

The Changing Light in the Landscape will be on display in the Art & Design Library, 3 – 30 June 2016.

This beautiful photo by amateur photographer and council worker, Tom Connolly, is one of his works that are being exhibited at Stockbridge library until October 18th. This photo depicts the sunset over the “Knap of Howar”, a site older than the pyramids, which is situated on the island of Papa Westray. Tom works as an Early Intervention Worker in the Education, Children and Families Department. Tom’s free exhibition includes photographs of architecture, landscapes, nature and political demonstrations, so pop in when you’re next in the neighbourhood!

Roberta Buchan – Recent Prints
A range of printmaking processes are used in the prints, chosen to best express the theme of each. Roberta says: “Exploring linked themes of impermanence, weathering, fissures and universal patterns is an ongoing adventure. Lately I have begun to investigate my experience as an ageing being in the flow of things”. A collaborative piece (“Coming Together, Falling Apart”) is included in the exhibition, featuring a latex impression by Sue Beveridge and print by Roberta Buchan, both created in response to a Bread Body dough cast by Sue.

Mary Archibald – Images from Untold Fairy Tales
This work is drawn from a previous exhibition, ‘Untold Fairy Tales’, where the pieces were sculptural. Mary states: “My aim was to produce icon like work on wood giving a pictorial representation of the original work. The characters aren’t from any known fairy tales but are probably more Brothers Grimm, than Hans Anderson. I work predominantly with recycled materials and found objects.’

The exhibitions run from 03-30 September in the Art Library, George IV Bridge.

Currently displayed in Central Library’s Fine Art department is a collection of work by local photographer Neil MacLean.

These photographs, taken around Edinburgh and other parts of Scotland in the low sun of winter, show the effect of weather conditions on how we see the landscape. Those instances where, momentarily, our view is obstructed, are prolonged and take on their own unique character.

Also here are works from Shrouded In Mistery – an atmospheric interpretation of Edinburgh and similar landscapes; and Spanish Walls – photographic montages consisting entirely of exterior surfaces around the centre of Seville.

Like this:

February’s exhibition in the Fine Art Library is a collection from Edinburgh-based artist Brian Cheeswright. Brian describes himself as a “figurative and expressionist” artist, and has exhibited his work throughout the UK, both in group and solo exhibitions. Looking at his paintings of haunted faces, Cheeswright’s self-proclaimed admiration of Norwegian painter Edvard Munch makes sense. Philip Guston, Karel Appel and Francesco Clemente also get a nod of approval. Often with dark and uncanny undertones, Cheeswright says his paintings act as his therapist and alter ego. Scary but interesting.